The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1905, Page 2

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2 The Lutheran Pioneer.

or manifestation, and the festival reminds us of the
manifestation of the Christ-child to the wise men
who came from a distant heathen country to Judea
to worship the Saviour, whose birth God made
known to them by a wonderful star.

These wise men of the Hast were Gentiles, or
heathen, and the story of their coming to Jesus
shows that the Saviour born at Bethlehem is the
Saviour, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gen-
tiles. He came to save all. ‘“‘God so loved the world
that He gave His only-begotten Son.’’ The angel
that brought the news of the Saviour’s birth said,
“Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people.’? The aged Simeon calls the
infant Saviour ‘‘a light to lighten the Gentiles.”

_ Epiphany is therefore the missionary festival of
the Church. It should impress on our minds the
blessed truth that ‘‘the Gospel is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek,’’? Rom. 1,16. The mis-
sionary command is: ‘‘Go ye into all the world,
and preach the Gospel to every creature.’? Every
human being, be he Jew or Gentile, has aninterest
in the great salvation which is in Christ Jesus, and
it is the Church’s duty to make known this salva-
tion to all that know it not. Ifitis not the Church’s

duty, whose is it? May the Epiphany season stir -

our hearts to increased missionary effort also in our
. work among the colored people.

The wise men of the East that came to worship
- the Saviour not only gave the offering of their lips,
they also presented unto Him gifts, gold and frank-
incense and myrrh. Inlike manner we, too, should
give of our substance to the King of kings by giving
it for the upbuilding of His kingdom. Giving should
be a part of our worship. How can we really love
Him if we are not willing to give that His kingdom
may be extended? How can we really be His dis-
ciples if we have the ability to help to spread His
Gospel, but are too stingy to do it?

May the grace of the Christ-child, who, though
He was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we
through His poverty might be rich, fill our hearts
with love to Him and His kingdom and make us
liberal and cheerful givers for the mission cause.

—_——_+ 0-e —_______

Everlasting. —

- As so many. things fail, and pass away with the
_ flying months of the year, it will be well for all true
believers to remember that there is one who will
never fail them, one who does not change. It is
‘Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and

for ever,’’? Hebr. 18,8. Heis allin all to His people
now, and He is all in all to them forever.

It is He in whom by true faith they have found —

life, and it is ‘‘everlasting life,’? John 3,16. 5, 24.

It is His love which has drawn them and-still -

draws them to Himself, and it is ‘‘everlasting love,’’
Jer. 81, 3.

It is His way on which they walk, and it is ‘‘the
everlasting way,”’ Ps. 189, 24.

It is His light which guides them therein, and it
is ‘‘an everlasting light,’’ Is. 60, 19.

. It is His strength which helps them thereon, and

it is ‘‘everlasting strength,’’ Is. 26, 4.

His arms they are which bear and embrace them,
and they are ‘‘the everlasting arms,’’ Deut. 38, 27.

It is His consolation which comforts them in all
their sorrows, and it is ‘‘everlasting consolation,’’
2 Thess. 2, 16.

It is His kindness which pities and supplies
them, and it is ‘‘everlasting kindness,’’ Is. 54, 8.

It is His mercy which surrounds them, and it
is ‘everlasting mercy,’’ Ps. 100, 5.

It is His joy which gladdens them, and it is
“everlasting joy,’’ Is. 35, 10.

It is His salvation which saves them, and it is
“everlasting salvation,’’ Is. 45, 17.

It is His kingdom into which He receives them,
and it is an ‘‘everlasting kingdom,’’ Ps. 145, 13.

————__—_—-o-e

A Comforting Thought.

It is a welcome and comforting thought to the
true child of God, that with every year.which passes
that last day comes nearer when time shall be no
longer, that last day when all the children of God
shall go into an eternity of bliss and happiness.

There the light of the Lamb will be in. the place of —

the sun, and that light will cast no shadow.

“There come new cares and sorrows
Every year,

But the truer life draws nearer
Every year.

Earth’s hold on us grows slighter,

The heavy burdens lighter,

The dawn immortal brighter,
Every year.”

The Lord’s Dealings.

Let us not promise to explain all the Lord’s
dealings with us. His ways are past finding out,

Rom. 11, 33. -Our faith knows that He is leading .

us ‘‘by the right way,” Ps. 107; 7; that all His paths
are mercy and truth, Ps. 25, 10; and that all things